Time after Time
by ComplexSimplicitY
Summary: A HarryLuna fic! This fic ties in directly with OotP and is all about what happens between Harry and Luna when we're not reading...Go through Harry's fifth year again, and watch as he slowly becomes more and more taken with who else, but Luna Lovegood.
1. Episode 1: Valentine's Day

Time after Time

By: ComplexSimplicitY

Summary:  A collection of Harry/Luna 'episodes' this is a very different fic~ every chapter will start out with a scene from OotP-then I'll write from there, so everything that happens here occurs in between the scenes of OotP…kinda get it? ^_^ Hope you like-all the episodes do tie in to one another though, and it basically shows how Harry becomes more and more taken with Luna as his fifth year goes by ^_^ Caution: Much fluffiness and insanity to come! ^_^_^_^

Disclaimer for the whole fic:  I do NOT own Harry Potter, though I can see why you may think so…LoL who I kidding yea right ^_^ The italicized words at the start of each chapter come directly from OotP and are not mine either-that's why there's a page number after all of them ^_~

A/N: Hello everyone! Well after all the great comments I got after 'Always in the End' I've decided to do another Harry/Luna fic ^_^_^ This one will be longer, but only a few chapters-I'm thinking 5-6, and takes place during OotP so spoilers abroad!!  Hope you enjoy, please leave me a review and tell me what you think ^_^_^_^

Episode 1:  Valentine's Day

            _"Women!" he muttered angrily, sloshing down the rain-washed street with his hands in his pockets.  "What did she want to talk about Cedric for anyway?  Why does she always want to drag up a subject that makes her act like a human hosepipe?"  He turned right, and broke into a splashy run… (p. 563)_

            Continuing down the slightly cramped, thoroughly flooded alleyway, Harry fought his way through, running as fast as he could while his soaked through robes tried to drag him down.  Not even caring in the slightest bit about his drippy attire, it wasn't until Harry's shoulder made contact with a very solid something that he stopped.

            "Hello? Who's there?"  Harry asked, unable to see through his rain splattered glasses.  Running a hand through his soaking wet hair, he suddenly noticed that the rain was no longer falling.

            "Hello Harry."  Luna Lovegood's airy voice sounded in his ears and, after furiously shaking his glasses dry, Harry noticed that he was now under the shelter of her umbrella.  

            "Sorry Luna, I wasn't watching where I was going," Harry started to say.  He stopped talking once he raised his eyes to the huge umbrella that covered them both.

            "Er…what are those?"  Luna's humungous umbrella that could comfortably shield five people from the rain, was dark blue and covered with pictures of little squishy, puff-ball like animals that also had fuzzy wings and beady blue eyes.  The little buggers were bewitched to fly around, and when Harry strained his ears past the sound of the pitter pattering rain, he could have sworn he heard a tune that sounded strangely like "Singing in the Rain" coming from the umbrella itself.

            "Oh, they're Fuzziers.  Cute aren't they? My father came across some when he was traveling in France and saw this umbrella as well.  It plays some Muggle tune when it's open too, quite splendiferous, don't you think?"  Luna asked mistily.  Her waist length blonde hair was down as always, and kept away from the right side of her face thanks to her wand that was always jutting out from it's position atop her right ear.  Today though, for Valentine's Day, Luna had really outdone herself, and in addition to her Hogwarts ensemble, she also donned a flashing heart pin that blinked in red, pink and white, and also emitted glitter every once in a while.

            "Uh…yes, quite. Well where are you headed Luna?"  Harry asked.  Not that he was really listening.  In fact, he was still mulling over the complete disaster that had come of his Valentine's Day, and was currently reminiscing over all the times Cho had burst into tears on him, and felt himself get rather agitated at the thought.

            "Three Broomsticks.  I'm supposed to meet someone there."  Luna replied dreamily.  Without any warning, she started walking again down the alley, and Harry didn't even notice until he realized that the world was looking quite spotted.  After feverishly rubbing at his glasses, he hurried to catch up to her once more.

            "Well, I'm headed for the Three Broomsticks…I guess."  Harry answered distractedly.  Then he began muttering under his breath about how 'Barking mad,' women were in general.

The pair continued down the watery alleyway, Harry trudging his feet through the freezing rainwater, and Luna sashaying along and humming all the way while licking a heart shaped lolly that was half the size of her face. Suddenly, in the middle of a song, Luna stopped humming, and turned abruptly to face Harry.  When Harry looked up, he saw that Luna's face was but inches away from his own.  Feeling his jaw drop as Luna's face came closer to his, Harry immediately shut it, realizing then that it probably wasn't the best thing to do, let his mouth hang open while Luna Lovegood's mouth was less than four inches away from it.  Clamping his jaw shut, Harry swallowed nervously, and made to back up and run for his life when his heels slammed against the wall.

'OHH MERLIN…WHAT TO DO…WHAT TO DO…'           

Completely brainless for the moment, Harry simply stood and watched in shock as Luna's face came closer to his own; though he noticed that her eyelashes weren't wet and her face wasn't streaked with tears.  It was a nice change…but this was Luna!  Before Harry could think up something intelligent to say though, Luna popped her lolly into her mouth, and reached up with her free hand.  Her hand hovered for a moment, but in the next instant, it was running through Harry's mussed up, soggy hair, and then it was gone.

Speechless still, Harry looked at Luna's clenched hand in astonishment, and he was surprised when his mind registered the tingling sensation that was dancing along his scalp where Luna's fingers previously were.  Bright emerald eyes filled with confusion and shell shock met crystal blue ones filled with excitement as Luna looked up.  Thrusting the umbrella handle into Harry's hand, Luna dug around in her book bag for a while before she extracted a medium sized glass jar.  With great anticipation, she lowered her fist into the jar's opening, released her hand, and quickly jerked her hand out, while slamming the lid onto the jar with her other.  Then, she pressed her eye to the glass.  Still very much confused, and quite flustered, Harry limply held the umbrella, which was now tipping off to the side and only half covering Harry.  When he came to his senses, Harry managed to ask,

"Luna, what in the world did you just do?"

Luna's loud, slightly crazed laughter pierced through the air, and caused Harry to jump a few inches backwards.  As her hearty laughs continued to sound through the alleyway, and she slapped her hand against her thighs, Harry looked at her half questioningly and half adoringly though he himself was completely oblivious to that.  After a few minutes, Luna's laughter came to an abrupt stop, and her dreamy aura returned.

"You had a netterbee in your hair…look, it's right there.  I've never seen a real live one before until now, but my father's shown me many pictures.  Now I can add it to my collection."

Squinting, Harry took the jar that Luna offered him, and peered into it.  At first he saw nothing, but then noticed a tiny, miniscule black bug that was covered in spikes and crawling up the side of the glass.  

"How in the world did you spot that?  Harry asked her incredulously.

"I just notice things other people don't about you Harry Potter."  And with that, Luna popped the jar into her book bag, resumed sucking on her lolly, and continued frolicking down the flooded alleyway, and out onto the main cobble-stoned road that led to the Three Broomsticks.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: So did you like it? I know it's pretty crappy, (it's 3 a.m. right now, LoL!) but I'd love you if you reviewed!!!! Next episode will be up ASAP-expect it by this Wednesday ^_^ REVIEW PLEASE, and thanks for reading ^_^ 


	2. Episode 2: Back to Gryffindor Tower

Time after Time

By: ComplexSimplicity

A/N: Agh! Sorry I'm a day late! Thank you SO MUCH for all the reviews though!! LoL! I was SO surprised, I seriously didn't expect so many!! I'm glad you all like it ^_^ Hope you continue to enjoy, and thank you muchly for reading!

Episode 2:  Back to Gryffindor Tower

            _"You'd better get those two off to bed," said Fudge, looking back at Professor McGonagall with a dismissive nod toward Harry and Marietta.  She said nothing, but marched Harry and Marietta to the door… (p.623)_

While Marietta, still feeling the effects of the Memory Charm, simply stared at the empty space ahead of her, Harry immediately marched off towards Gryffindor Tower, a myriad of emotions running through his head.  The red hot anger that had quelled inside of him when he found out Marietta was the sneak was now beginning to melt the frozen fear that had taken over his mind in the office.  No matter how he fumed though, he simply couldn't manage to get rid of the icy numbness that had taken over his upper body.  Dumbledore was gone.  Gone.  In the end his temper got the better of him, and after coming to an abrupt stop in the middle of a corridor, Harry turned and slammed his fist against a portrait of a wizened looking old wizard.  

            "OW!"  Harry yelped, muttering curses under his breath while he started nursing his throbbing hand.  Before he could move though, the portrait promptly swung open, and made contact with his left temple.

            "BLOODY HELL!"  Harry screamed, now moving his free hand to his temple while his injured hand remained curled up at his side.

            "You knocked?"  

            "Luna?"  Harry's hand dropped from his temple, and he peered curiously at the girl.  Just past her was, of course, the Ravenclaw common room.  Harry breathed a bit easier when he saw Cho walking swiftly up the staircase.  At least she had made it back okay as well.

            "That would be me.  Are you alright?  You seem to have banged your head against the portrait."  Luna said in her typical sing song voice.  Luna was clad in a pair of flannel pajamas, and Harry vaguely noticed how the blue Ravenclaw colors brought out the crystal blue in her eyes.

            "Actually," Harry started out heatedly, preparing to blow up.  Oddly, he found that he had no desire to rant and rave at her for smashing her godforsaken portrait door into his left temple…perhaps it was Luna's dreamy appearance, the way she always looked so dazed all the time.

            "Never mind…I suppose you got back to your common room alright then?"  Harry inquired, referring to the escape they had all made from the Room of Requirement.

            "Quite. I don't see why everyone was running though…best to simply walk away, no one suspects a thing."  Luna replied distractedly, using her wand to shift a few strands of hair from her face.  This comment left Harry ogling at her.

            "So you just strolled on out of there?  You didn't run and you didn't get caught?"  Harry asked her incredulously.

            "Yes and no."  Luna responded, peering at Harry with a wistful expression in her eyes.

            "Pardon?"  Harry questioned, a bit confused with her answer.

            Luna gave a twinkling laugh, not quite a laugh, but far from being a giggle.

            "Yes to the first question and no to the second."  She clarified, playing with her bracelet made from Butterbeer caps.  

            "Oh…" Harry replied, turning a light shade of pink.  He wasn't quite sure why he was blushing…perhaps it was the heat.  At night.  In the dead of March.  

            "So what are you still doing up?"  Harry asked, loosening his tie a bit, and shoving his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

            At this Luna's eyes lit up, and she tugged him into the common room which was almost empty now, save a few studious students who were sitting in the corners and scribbling away on sheaves of parchment that littered the numerous tables of the Ravenclaw common room.

            Taken aback, and sincerely praying that Cho wouldn't walk downstairs once more, he let Luna drag him over to a chair in front of the pleasantly burning fire.  Turning an even darker shade of red that was not helped in the slightest by the fire, Harry shrugged his cloak off once Luna's grip left his arm.          

            "I've been caring for this Netterbee that I found in your hair.  Remember that?  It's come along quite well-this is the biggest one me or daddy's ever seen!" Luna replied happily.  The Netterbee had grown to an enormous size-well enormous compared to the tiny dot it had been before.  Now, it was crawling around the bottom of the glass and was roughly the size of a large beetle.  It had been transferred into a larger jar, and the spikes were now at least a centimeter long; Harry also observed that a pair of tiny wings had just started to grow in.

            "Wow…" Harry commented, truly interested.  Luna wasn't so bad to hang around after all…

            "Fascinating isn't it?" Luna commented, her face pushed up against the opposite side of the glass.  For a split second, Harry found himself staring into Luna's sparkling blue eyes through the glass, but the moment ended when the Netterbee climbed up Harry's side of the glass, and he promptly shot back into his seat, startled and flustered at the same time.

            "Well, I'll put him away now…I've named him Horatio."  Luna commented distantly.  Then, without a word to Harry, she started off back towards the portrait entrance.

            Scrambling to his feet, and grabbing his cloak, Harry got up as well, and followed her lead to the portrait hole where the old wizard was grumbling quite loudly, very much annoyed for being left wide open.

            When Harry caught up to her, he was surprised to see Luna's eyes so full of excitement and anticipation.

            "I forgot to tell you at the meeting.  I've learned how to do the Patronus.  Want to see?"  Contrary to the electricity given off by her eyes, Luna's voice remained dreamy and calm as ever.

            "Sure."  Harry shrugged, a smile beginning to cross his face.

            "Expecto Patronum!"  Luna shouted suddenly.  Harry jumped a bit, taken aback by the strength that her voice held.  No longer was it airy and faint, but powerful and commanding.  The echo of it reverberated through out the corridor, and sounded off into the still night.  Watching with a stunned look across his features, Harry took no notice of the small, silvery Crumple-Horned Snorkack that gamboled around the room, and instead, continued to gawk at Luna, who had started humming spontaneously right after she performed her Patronus.  Shaking his head slightly, and blinking a few times, Harry looked to see if it was really Luna after all.  Of course, there she was in front of him, still humming her bizarre little tune, swaying slightly in all directions and eyeing her Patronus form adoringly while twirling her wand at an unbelievably high speed between her fingers.

            "It's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.  Don't you love how it's horn is so wrinkly and pug-like?  I can't wait to see one for myself.  No one's ever seen one before, but maybe I will with father over summer this year…" Luna commented casually, her head tilted to one side, her voice dreamy and out of place as ever.

            "I don't get it. How do you know it's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack if you've never seen one?  How do you know they even exist?"  Harry asked her, his brow furrowed, a bit of frustration in his voice as the reality of the earlier situation hit him once more.

            "I just do."  Luna answered thoughtfully, still gazing at her Patronus.  "I just do."

            "But how?  How can you be so sure?  How do you know everything will be okay?"  Harry asked hurriedly, almost as if he were desperate for an answer.  

            "It's just faith I suppose.  Like how you know there will always be a tomorrow, or that there will always be Zangolas flying in the sky.  Faith isn't knowing that everything is going to turn out fine, faith is just believing that whatever is meant to happen will happen."  Luna replied dreamily, her head slightly tilted to one side.

            After a few moments of silence, Luna reached into the pocket of her pajama pants, and extracted a large silver pocket watch.  Flipping the lid of it open, she observed the arrangement of the planets for a bit before snapping the watch shut, and slipping it back into her pocket.  

            "Well, I'm going to bed now.  Say hello to Ronald and Virginia for me will you Harry?  Good night, and don't let the Billiots bite."  A vague smile crossed her face and she motioned her hand dismissively in a gesture of farewell as she closed the portrait door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: You know what to do ^_^ REVIEWREVIEWREVIEW!!!  Hehe!  It makes me happy, and when I'm happy, I write faster, LoL! ^_^ Thanks again for reading…hope you liked it ^_^ This isn't the original one actually-I wrote two because I wasn't sure what to do with it, and in the end decided to post this one though I'm not completely satisfied with it-do you like it?  Let me know ^_~

Next chapter will be up ASAP- I can't guarantee a date because school starts next Thursday and it's high time I started the summer reading project for Advanced Placement English that I've been putting off all summer long, LoL!

REVIEW!

.:*Priscilla*:.


	3. Episode 3: Career Advice

Time after Time

By: ComplexSimplicitY

A/N: First of all: SORRY! I know, it's been like a whole month, I am SOOO SORRY! I feel so guilty…but I do have a life outside of fanfiction, and my days and weekends have been filled with writing college essays ::shudder::.  Yes, it's my senior year in high school (FINALLY!) and I'm just filled to the top with stress from that, and from being away from fanfiction for so long-anyways, I'll shut up now and continue-here it is, Chapter 3 ^_^ ~THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS everyone!!!! I'm so glad you all like it ^_^ Thank you muchly!!!

* Dedicated to Pamela/Lonnie ^_^ *

Chapter 3:  Career Advice

"'Potter, that concludes our career consultation.'  Harry swung his bag over his shoulder and hurried out of the room, not daring to look at Umbridge.  He could hear her and Professor McGonagall continuing to shout at each other all the way back along the corridor." (Career Advice, p. 666)

            Wincing slightly at Umbridge's echoing  high-pitched screams, Harry quickened his pace down the staircase and into the Entrance Hall.  Instead of turning left to the Divination classroom though, Harry took a right, and made his way through the gigantic castle doors and onto the Hogwarts' Grounds.  Heading towards the lake, his mind filled with anxiety, he settled himself down against the trunk of a tree close to the water's edge, and closed his eyes.  Five N.E.W.T.S. and an average of "Exceeds Expectations".  No one new in 3 years, extremely selective.  Harry didn't just 'maybe' want to be an Auror like he told McGonagall, he wanted it more than anything else in the world.  Letting out a deep breath, Harry removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes.  What if he didn't make into the Auror Academy? What would become of him then? He couldn't picture himself doing anything else, nothing, especially not a desk job at the Ministry.  Sighing and running a hand through his hair, Harry agonized more over his 'destiny'.   What was that all about anyway?  People say that everyone has a destiny, we're all meant to be something in this world and no matter what we do, we can't change that.  Fate will always play out in the end, and what's meant to be will be.  At this point, Harry didn't see in the slightest how Auror training could possibly be within his future.  The expectations, the prerequisites.  He was only average, and they only took the best.  If it wasn't in his destiny, then why did he want it so badly that it hurt on the inside and made him feel like he just wanted to scream?  If it wasn't meant to be, then why did 'fate' have to torture him like it did, filling his mind with doubts and that cold nervous sensation that was so penetrating he tried rubbing at his head just to be rid of it?  Dropping his head into his hands, Harry started furiously rubbing at his scalp, frustrated, and determined to fight the numbing sensation that was spreading throughout his body and positively eating away at his mind.  

            "Don't worry."

            Immediately, Harry froze, and his head snapped up to face the person that had spoken.  

            "Excuse me?"  

            "I said don't worry."  Luna replied.  From her position at the lake's edge in front of the sun, Harry could vaguely make her figure out, but was semi-blinded by her necklace of metal Butterbeer caps.  

            "Er…sorry?" Harry asked, a bit bewildered.  Realizing how stupid he must have looked, Harry cleared his throat and removed his hands from his hair, flattening it nervously as he did so.

            Luna's light laughter drifted over to him, and some of the numbness seemed to ebb away.  Moving closer towards him, with her rolling book bag behind her, Luna plopped down to the ground on Harry's right.

            "There's nothing in your hair you know.  You don't have to worry, if there was, I would have spotted it, and besides most netterbees and karsnackles don't like movement so they bugger off the first time you run your hand through your hair." Luna replied vaguely, looking off behind Harry in the direction of the castle.  

            "Er…uh…that's not what I was…never mind." Harry sputtered.  Unconsciously, he ran a hand through his hair, then froze midway when he remembered a certain someone else who had done the same thing under the exact same tree so many years before.  Harry quickly removed his hand, and chose instead to start pulling up blades of grass to keep his hands busy.  

            "Well, how've you been Luna?" Harry mumbled to the ground, still feverishly yanking away at the poor helpless blades of grass.  'If Filch saw me, I'd be worse than dead…' Harry thought to himself.

            "Spiffy, thanks.  I'm usually quite chipper this time of year, even though exams are coming up. Nothing to worry about anyway."  Luna answered dreamily, her held tilted up to the sky.  Harry looked at her in awe.

            "Nothing to worry about? Exams determine your life Luna.  If you do badly here, you're doomed because everything you do affects what you'll end up doing.  Do badly on the exams, and you can just about kiss your future good bye." Harry spat out angrily, the chilling sensation returning.  

            "You think so? Harry, tests don't determine your life.  You determine your life."  Luna answered pointedly, looking at him now. 

            "But they do.  Don't you see? If you wanted to go into a prestigious career, but you did horribly at Hogwarts, it would never happen.  It's not fair.  Just because you misbehave as a child, just because of mistakes you've made in your past, your whole destiny is blown to smithereens. Everything you ever wanted to be or thought you would be is unattainable, and you end up working at some crappy job that you hate for the rest of your life.  It's just not fair."  Harry sighed exasperatedly.  

            "Life isn't fair Harry.  Life just is."  Luna replied lightly, her eyes drifting off to the clouds once more.

            "Like those clouds up there.  See them?  At first glance, they all seem hazy, indefinite, like random blobs of cotton fluff floating up in the sky.  Then you look closer at them and you start seeing things.  You start seeing what you want to see, what you want them to be.  But a few minutes later, and the shape has totally changed-and you just have to guess again at what it is.  You can't predict what shapes they're going to form, or if they're even going to resemble anything at all until they shift once more and for those few precious minutes, you think you know everything about those clouds-but you don't.  Life is just like that Harry.  You can't plan it, you can't predict it, you can't even begin to fathom the possibilities it may hold.  When you look at it on the surface, everything's mixed up, nothing seems to make sense.  Then you sit yourself down, and you sift through the unnecessary.  All of a sudden, your life seems to make sense, everything is in order and it's just like how you thought it would be-until it changes again.  Even though it isn't clear right now Harry, it doesn't matter-because it doesn't need to be.  Just because you can't see it now doesn't mean that it's impossible Harry." 

            As Luna resumed her cloud watching, twirling a strand of her long blonde hair with her wand, Harry simply stared at her, mouth slightly open.  For some reason, he was feeling oddly at ease, and the numbing tremors had stopped wracking his brain.  It wasn't until Luna's gaze dreamily drifted from skyward back down towards reality, and their eyes locked for a split second that Harry looked away and resumed his previous deforestation of the Hogwarts' lawn, extremely tense because he knew that Luna was still watching him with her crystal blue eyes.

            "You know, it's a good thing your parents didn't name you Harold."  Luna remarked, gazing inquisitively at Harry.  

            "Why not?" Harry asked, a bit appalled, and a bit curious as well.  As Luna's gaze remained on his face, Harry fought the urge to run his hand through his hair, and increased the rate at which he was pulling up grass.

            "You don't look like a Harold.  You look more like a Bartholomew."  Luna stated lightly.

            "Bartholomew?" Harry asked, a look of terror on his face. 

            "No, no you're right. Not a Bartholomew.  Maybe a Sebastian."  Luna commented, her eyes twinkling with silent laughter.

            "Sebastian? Great, I'll just have everyone call me Sebbie while I'm at it…" Harry replied sarcastically.  At this, Luna exploded with laughter, doubling over, and clutching at her sides.  Smiling a little to himself, Harry, feeling a bit uncomfortable now that Luna had been laughing for over a minute straight now, shifted his gaze down to the grass again, and resumed his earlier task of grass pulling.

            "SEBBIE!!"  Luna shrieked, then doubled over with laughter again.  Harry couldn't help it any longer, and his smile broke into a grin, and his quiet chuckles were just barely heard over Luna's roaring laughs.  As she wiped tears of mirth from her eyes, Luna focused her gaze once more on Harry, and this time, Harry looked back at her.  

            "I've got it.  Harry.  You look like a Harry."  Luna finished with a tone of finality in her voice.

            "My name _is_ Harry Luna."  Harry replied, his green eyes vibrant with befuddlement  and laughter.

            "I know that.  Your name fits you perfectly.  Wish mine fit me.  I've always thought of myself as a Celestina," Luna replied distantly as her gaze drifted over to the pristine surface of the lake.

            "No."  Harry replied immediately.  "Luna is perfect.  You're perfect."

            Extremely embarrassed that he had actually sad that out loud, Harry's face blushed a red that rivaled the shade of Ron's hair.  As he prepared to explain himself and endure the consequences, Luna looked in his direction once more, seemingly unfazed.

            "No, I don't think so.  No one's perfect, Harry."  With that, Luna picked herself off the ground, and reached for her rolling book bag.  Dragging it absentmindedly behind her, she made her way back towards the castle.  Harry, hand in midair, ready to rumple his hair yet again, froze.  Wanting more than ever now to talk to Sirius about what he had seen in Snape's Pensieve, Harry hurriedly grabbed his book bag, and made his way back towards the castle.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Finite! ^_^ Another chapter written in the wee hours of the morning-it's 3 a.m. right now, LoL!! Well, to be exact, it's 2:58 a.m. ^_^_^ Anywho, enough about my nocturnal complex-hope you liked it!! Leave me a review alright? Thank you thank you!! ^_^_^_^

.:*Priscilla*:. 


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